Thanks to all of you that took the time to come to the El Dorado Civic Center on Tuesday the 22d and hear Col. Lee Tafanelli describe the deployment and various missions of a Kansas National Guard Engineer Battalion.
Lee was called from the Kansas Legislature to active duty as the Battalion Commander and he deployed for 1 year to IRAQ. Lee provided a power point and slide presentation of the places they served and the missions they performed. A special treat was that two families in the crowd had son-in-law and son that served under Col. Tafanelli.
A lively question and answer period followed the formal presentation and many accepted the offer to try on the personal body armor and all the gear that a soldier had to carry while on patrol. Thanks to the City of El Dorado for supply the bottled water, AT&T and the Skelly School Staff for providing the snacks.
This week finds me in Topeka for some meetings of the Special Committee on Assessment and Taxation. These meetings are conducted to determine future legislation and bring the committee up to date on a number of issues. Our agenda this week included:
*State General Fund receipts through September
*Mill Levy issues
*Taxation on watercraft
*Coal-bed Methane Valuation
* Local Bond Indebtedness
Senate Sub. For HB 2440 allows any city to accept credit or debit cards for the payment of taxes, fees, or other services.
The city can establish the credit or debit card accepted and set a fee to be added to any credit card transaction equal to the charge paid by the city for the use of the credit card by the person. Under the bill, the city imposing a fee for payments made by credit card must provide notice of such fee to the person making payments by credit card.
HB 2628 provides for the disposal of township personal property valued at $1,000 or more. The bill establishes a procedure whereby the sale or other disposal of such property is prohibited without township board approval. Public notice is required once in a newspaper of general circulation in the township, containing specific information. The sale must be by competitive bid and must be awarded to the highest and best bidder, but the board may reject any or all bids and resubmit for a new competitive bid procedure.
HB 2749 authorizes any township board with surplus in its general fund to transfer, by resolution, up to 25 percent of general fund revenue into a township equipment reserve fund. The purpose of the equipment reserve fund would be to finance the acquisition of equipment.
The Governor Vetoed the following:
House Sub for SB 327 would have established energy efficiency standards for state building and equipment: enacted the Net Metering and Easy Connection Act; and provided tax incentives for energy improvements in residential rental property.
It would also have established the Kansas Electric Generation Science and Technology Commission: created a renewable resources requirement for electric utilities; required certain electric generation facilities to use carbon dioxide capture or reduction technologies. It would amend existing law regarding regulation of air quality and certain utilities; and enacted a provision requiring reduction of mercury emissions from certain electricity generating units.
Senate Sub for HB 2412 This bill would have enacted the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008. Several programs would have been affected by this bill, including Investments in Major Projects and Comprehensive Training (IMPACT), the Intermodel Transportation Revolving Fund, corporate income tax, and the energy efficiency projects.
Two weeks ago I had a total knee replacement and am currently doing my rehabilitation at Susan B. Allen Hospital. Things are going well and since this is my second one I have a much better idea as to the time to recuperate. Thanks to all of you that have called or sent cards, I appreciate your thoughtfulness.
I consider it an honor and privilege to be your Representative in Topeka and I want to know what you think. You may contact me in person or at home 1115 Rim Rock Road, El Dorado 67042, 316-321-2087, johng@carlisleinc.net, grange@house.state.ks.us or www.johngrange.net.
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